[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-350":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Nothing Is Taboo",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2310735,4514,"Chapter 350: Illness Spore (Combined Three Parts)","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-350",350,"\u003Cp>Xu Yuan looked at Gao Guanzi with a puzzled expression: Can you really discern underground traces just by listening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao Guanzi drew his axe from his waist, pressed his ear to the ground, and struck the earth firmly with the back of the axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By subtle differences in underground echoes, he identified the trails left by roots moving beneath the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After spending a little over half an hour, they stood beside a river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That root must have grabbed something and slipped away into the river.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan recalled Deng Linyue’s words: this ghost-root tree likely drifted downstream along the canal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does this tree crave water, or does it find river routes more convenient for relocation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dense forests lined both banks of the river; Xu Yuan activated “Wang Ming” and scanned—no evil spirits lurked within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant the ghost-root tree was not here now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Linyue found it nearly impossible to pierce the ghost-root tree’s “thousand transformations,” but for Xu Yuan, it was no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the two mountain trackers, this trail ended here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Xu Yuan felt this clue was crucial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Xu deduced: the ghost-root tree would reappear along this river—or even precisely in this stretch of waterway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To find that thing, the most reliable method now was to wait here at night, lying in ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone had previously seen the ghost-root tree beneath Pig Scream Rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why Deng Linyue had come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last night, a root emerged from beneath Pig Scream Rock and carried something away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The root’s origin might be the ghost-root tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the “Huanhuan Tree” seen by the Miao people might have been the ghost-root tree in disguise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, if last night’s root truly belonged to the ghost-root tree, then whatever it sought in Ghost Witch Mountain lay beneath Pig Scream Rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no other clues, waiting here for whatever might be the ghost-root tree to appear was undoubtedly the best choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan glanced around and said to Gao Guanzi: “We’ll stay here tonight. Build a shelter, and make it as hidden as possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it truly is the ghost-root tree, that thing has thirteen tree-eyes—don’t let it spot any flaws.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, my lord.” Gao Guanzi replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan turned to Bai Laoyan: “We’ll split up. Take me to Guofeng Ridge first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made an appointment with the Jiao last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Laoyan was unfamiliar with the local terrain and spent some time locating Guofeng Ridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From afar, Xu Yuan saw no trace of the Jiao’s life force—but he saw Tian Jing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing’s “life-force” had grown increasingly inhuman, nearing that of an evil spirit!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan sighed inwardly; though he admired Tian Jing’s character, he found it tragic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing, by accompanying the Jiao on Guanghuo Street, had inevitably transformed into a true evil spirit!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing’s abilities had also grown increasingly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He now crouched among tangled grass, where several large blue stones jutted out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing’s back was also a patch of dark blue-black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat motionless, head bowed, indistinguishable from the surrounding blue stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Xu Yuan, had he not activated “Wang Ming,” might have walked past without recognizing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange bird with a long scorpion tail skimmed over the grass tips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scorpion tail plowed through the grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were rabbits or small snakes hidden within, the tail would hook them and the bird would devour them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the bird passed by, Tian Jing suddenly reached out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His arm shot out half a zhang, seized the bird, and crammed it into his mouth, chewing it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan quietly tugged Bai Laoyan’s sleeve and waited silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating the bird, Tian Jing wiped the bloody residue from his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Xu Yuan deliberately step louder, walking toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing likely didn’t want Xu Yuan to see his true form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord!” Tian Jing stood up happily, calling out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried a faint, barely perceptible note of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he rose, his “mimicry” vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He regained about seventy to eighty percent of his human appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan smiled: “You’ve worked hard. How’s it going on Guanghuo Street?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing grinned: “Not bad. The shop just opened, so it’s naturally tiring—but with the Jiao holding the fort and you and Little Bai as backing, we’ll surely hold on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His actual time alive in this world far exceeded Bai Laoyan’s, so calling him “Little Bai,” Bai Laoyan could only accept it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan nodded: “Good. Let me know if you need anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this was a joint venture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing said: “We’ve sold quite a bit of what we brought. In a while, we’ll truly need you to help us source more goods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing spoke mysteriously: “My lord, guess who our biggest buyer is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly: “Isn’t it the great evil spirits on the street?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing smiled: “I thought the same before I came. At first, we sold directly to those great evil spirits—but gradually we realized they were just middlemen!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing lowered his voice: “They sell it all… outside the mountain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan murmured “oh,” and understood everything: these great evil spirits had all hit bottlenecks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advancing further was extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take that “Lord Ruan”—what more could he possibly gain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he advanced further, he couldn’t break out of the mountain to challenge the Canal Dragon King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they bought vast quantities of materials they couldn’t use themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We quietly investigated,” Tian Jing said. “Turns out, for years they’ve been trading with the outside. For instance, the true seeds you want—the Jiao checked, and no great evil spirits on the street are currently cultivating true seeds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they were cultivating them, it’d be easier. We could negotiate a price and buy them directly for you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, over eighty percent of true seeds that leaked out from remote regions were cultivated by these great evil spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how those who obtained the true seeds boast they fought hard to seize them,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the truth is, more than half were bought outright from these great evil spirits after negotiation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan frowned: “What use do evil spirits have for money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just money—most transactions involve live humans or fresh human blood,” Tian Jing said. “I recently heard that powerful clans have connections to buy prisoners from the front lines!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan nodded: So that’s how it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also,” Tian Jing added, “there are rumors that people from this province have made contact with the Red-Haired Barbarians and buy slaves directly from them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the rumors are strange: those bought from them are pitch-black, like they’ve been dipped in ink, just like ancient Kunlun slaves—no one knows where they come from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I find it hard to believe, but the great evil spirits swear it’s true, even saying these live humans taste awful, too stinky…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing suddenly fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because that great evil spirit had given him an analogy: the difference between domestic pigs and wild boars…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing feared saying it might make Master Xu’s face darken instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After describing their general situation, Xu Yuan asked: “What exactly is this evil spirit, Ju Ya?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We inquired about which evil spirits on Guanghuo Street cultivate true seeds,” Tian Jing said. “Ju Ya is one. But the true seeds it cultivates are always strange. Supposedly, the alchemist who bought its true seeds rose to the Fifth Rank—but then fell ill constantly. Even after taking his own pills and recovering, he’d fall sick again within days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held on for ten years, but ultimately died of illness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though alchemists aren’t known for physical strength, a Fifth-Rank cultivator shouldn’t have only ten years left to live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing continued: “The core of Ju Ya’s strange abilities is ‘Great Illness.’ When fully unleashed, its illness spreads—ten become a hundred, hundreds become a thousand—and can kill an entire city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s said that before it came to the street, it often plagued counties around Ghost Witch Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After joining the street, it stopped leaving the mountain, focusing entirely on collecting various diseases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It can even transform itself into various diseases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any living being infected by its illness becomes its eyes, ears, and nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a cultivator is infected, it can directly turn them into one of its ‘Illness Shadows,’ similar to a clone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan asked: “It hasn’t shown its true form recently—have you found out what it’s doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Possibly because it recently acquired a very rare illness and is studying it. But… that doesn’t fully explain it. Unless the illness is powerful enough to disrupt Ju Ya, it wouldn’t hide so long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan shook his head: “Ju Ya is at least Fifth Rank—what illness could infect it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing said: “The Jiao is still gathering information. But there’s another detail: a month ago, a mysterious buyer purchased a single ‘Illness Spore’ from Ju Ya for three hundred live humans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a few days ago, someone bought a piece of ‘Blood Cake’ from Ju Ya’s old rival, Hua Lingzi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Lingzi is another great evil spirit on the street, always boasting its Blood Cake can cure all of Ju Ya’s ‘illnesses.’ They’ve clashed several times on the street, always ending in a draw.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, they angered the biggest one on the street, who slapped each of them once, and they stopped fighting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing added: “Hua Lingzi can also cultivate true seeds—and its true seeds have no hidden dangers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan nodded; he had no more questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing prepared to leave: “Someone’s coming to negotiate business today—I must get back. The Jiao can’t handle it alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan: “Can live humans enter Guanghuo Street?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey! They all have permit slips—they can not only enter Guanghuo Street but also move freely through Ghost Witch Mountain; all evil spirits ignore them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But these permits are extremely rare—only the highest-ranking person is authorized to issue them. If we get the chance, let’s get one for the boss too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, then hurry back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing bowed and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After turning a corner of the hill, Xu Yuan and Bai Laoyan could no longer see him—he dropped to all fours and sprinted off like a wild beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan and Bai Laoyan returned to the riverside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi had already built the frame of the shack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the Ghost Beard Wood could change its form endlessly, Gao Guanzi dared not build the shack within the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chose a spot between two massive boulders near the riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dug a semi-subterranean pit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He covered the top with stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He arranged everything to resemble the original terrain as closely as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, it needed to be treated with the mountain folk’s traditional methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you just dug a hole in the mountains and moved in… by night, that hole might turn into a terrifying mouth and swallow everything inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was cautious—he climbed to a high vantage point after returning and scanned the surrounding woods with his “Viewing Fate” ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw no Ghost Beard Wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in a grove to the north, he “saw” a “Begging Ghost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last one he’d encountered had already been burned to ashes by Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there were more than one Begging Ghost in these mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Begging Ghost blended into the trees, appearing perfectly normal, showing not the slightest anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan pretended not to notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he came down, he quietly told Gao Guanzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...That ghost wasn’t here this morning—it slipped in while I was out with Bai Laoyan,” Xu Yuan speculated. “Could it be a spy for the Ghost Beard Wood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi spun his axe in his hand, his gaze turning dangerous: “If it really is the Ghost Beard Wood’s spy, we can’t just chop it down outright...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Laoyan said: “I’ll handle the rest of the work—you get closer, keep watch on it, and find out whether this ghost wandered here by accident or was sent by the Ghost Beard Wood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi nodded and walked off, axe in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Gao Guanzi left, Xu Yuan suddenly looked around and realized: “This place... seems to be the only path between Pig Scream Rock and the seven-men camp.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, did the Ghost Beard Wood randomly choose this spot—or deliberately select it to easily monitor the people in the camp?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan told Bai Laoyan: “You keep working—I’m going to check on those seven men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The boss may go ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan put on his clay mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved stealthily, appearing like a timid evil spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned to the same spot where he’d hidden and observed yesterday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Xu Yuan reached his position and before he even stuck his head out, he heard voices below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stayed hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He put on the newly acquired redwood-and-brass earpieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was certain their effect was far inferior to Gao Guanzi’s ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they were sufficient for the current situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every sound below reached Xu Yuan’s ears without omission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two men were talking, but low moans mixed in among their words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Why must you get involved in this mess?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bian Lu’s methods are too extreme.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The war in Siam is about to end. Since the Ghost King’s body never reached the rebels, their cause is lost. Once the fighting stops, with so many troops stationed here, what will the court do with them? They’ll surely push further west to seize more cities—otherwise, these soldiers will just be disbanded and sent home, and the court won’t trust them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t oppose Bian Lu wanting to keep fighting and seeking military glory—he can openly wage war. If he wants to conquer Burma, India, the entire Malacca, or even that distant great island, I, Qiu Ningtai, admire him as a true man who seeks glory on horseback! But using illness spores to wipe out entire cities just to quickly open a path into Burma? That’s monstrous!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan had understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Siam was about to be conquered, but the imperial army didn’t want the war to end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the court didn’t want it to end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such conquest wars, the court didn’t need to pay soldiers fully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thirty percent would suffice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The troops wouldn’t rebel, because every new territory they captured brought them far greater plunder than their meager pay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once the fighting stopped, they’d demand full pay—after all, it was a long-distance campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sending them home would leave too many hardened veterans as destabilizing elements in the countryside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was also some involvement from Lord Xu himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Xu Yuan had prevented the Ghost King’s body from reaching the Siam rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you so rigid? What do the Burmese have to do with our Great Ming? It’s absurd of the Mountain Bureau and the Purification Bureau to be so foolish—why didn’t you just let the Ghost King’s body go to them? The Siamese have rebelled multiple times; give them the Ghost King’s body and let them keep causing chaos. Then our army can slaughter them again and resettle our subjects there—this land would be stabilized.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan couldn’t help scratching his ear: This logic... was brutally cruel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We must civilize them with the teachings of the sages...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t talk to me about that! Forget it—I’m not arguing with you. I’m here to find the Ghost Beard Wood. You arrived earlier—have you seen that evil spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That thing is useless to me. If I’d seen it, I’d have traded that information for what I wanted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, I’ll find it myself. Out of our long friendship, let me warn you: don’t challenge the Juyu—you’re no match for it. Trying to fight it to find an antidote to its illness spore is pure fantasy—you can’t do it, and you might end up losing yourself! This is Ghost Witch Mountain—if you get infected by its disease, who will save you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My mind is made up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stubborn fool...” The voice muttered curses under his breath and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had two subordinates; the three of them headed off in another direction, not passing near Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After they left, Xu Yuan cautiously poked his head out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The camp was eerily quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moaning came from one of the tents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan carefully listened and determined there were six people inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant, besides Qiu Ningtai, all six of his subordinates were sick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai had many herbs laid out before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All were fresh—likely just gathered from the surrounding hills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped one herb and crushed it between his palms, forcing its essence out with his “method,” condensing it into a grain-sized drop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick as tung oil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He repeated the process with the other herbs, extracting their essences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he mixed them in precise proportions and sliced open all ten of his fingertips, squeezing a single drop of blood into the mixture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blood blended with the herbal essences, releasing a thick cloud of white vapor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, he carried the magically prepared “medicine” to the tent’s entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a weak voice came from inside: “Master, don’t come in—just leave it at the door, we’ll take it ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai nodded and placed the bowl down: “Alright, I won’t enter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hand reached out from inside the tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hand was rotting, oozing pus everywhere!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bowl was taken inside and divided among them to drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do you feel?” Qiu Ningtai asked anxiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Much better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai sighed in relief—he’d solved the Juyu’s challenge for today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Drink the medicine again later—you should be fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai sat down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magical exertion had already drained him; adding the loss of a precious drop of blood left him utterly weak as his guard dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In previous duels, Qiu Ningtai had handled things calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today’s illness was unusually fierce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the four men returned to camp, they quickly infected the other two—only Qiu Ningtai himself had resisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression grew grim; tomorrow’s challenge from the Juyu would surely be even more difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if he could solve tomorrow’s puzzle, he might finally cure the disease within that “illness spore” and save the entire city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After resting a while, he went to fetch the wild boar his men had hunted that morning—without cooking it, he tore open its belly and devoured all its internal organs!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four of his men had gone out earlier to retrieve small game; the other two had hunted this boar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s eyelids twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai buried his face deep into the boar’s belly; when he lifted his head, his face was caked with blood and chunks of raw meat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai cleaned himself, then stripped off his top and sat cross-legged nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan frowned—what was he doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he puzzled over this, Qiu Ningtai’s back slowly swelled up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After about half an hour, his entire body bent as if hunched, a large bulge rising from his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan focused his vision and saw clearly: the bulge’s skin had stretched so thin it was semi-translucent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside was nothing but pus!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And within the pus, tiny dark-red worms wriggled!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan had no idea what cultivation method this man practiced—his father had never mentioned such a method to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His “method” was utterly sinister, yet he possessed a heart of universal compassion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was willing to throw himself into the fray to save civilians from other nations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai looked extremely pained, gritting his teeth to endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, the large bulge on his back began to shrink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t that the “illness” was improving—it was growing worse!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the bulge condensed to the size of a pigeon’s egg, its outer skin had become completely transparent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, the worms were densely packed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai pulled out a small knife, clearly a high-grade artisan artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He awkwardly sliced off the bulge on his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking with it a layer of skin and flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood gushed out at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Qiu Ningtai had no time to treat the wound—he hurriedly carried the “bulge” to the four bamboo cages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the cages were the small beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai selected one, tossed the “bulge” directly inside, then swiftly covered the cage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he wouldn’t separate them—give the Juyu a real challenge!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Qiu Ningtai quickly pull out a medicinal pill, still awkwardly rolling it over the wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wound bled profusely, the blood streaming down to his lower back, staining his pants red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pill was of high quality; after rolling for a moment, the wound healed completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai let out a long breath, rested for a while, then prepared to make the next “dose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan stopped watching and slipped away quietly, thinking all the way: If I were infected by the Juyu or Qiu Ningtai’s “illness,” could my medicinal pills cure it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt it was mostly impossible…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu’s sense of danger surged—he had to get precious herbs from the two mountain runners and greatly enhance his medicinal pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the riverbank, he met Gao Guanzi returning, who said to Xu: “My lord, trouble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That ghostly thing was indeed sent by Ghost Beard Wood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “frame-up ghost” had spotted Xu Yuan and the other two, along with the newly set-up shelter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether or not it had already secretly reported this to Ghost Beard Wood, things were now difficult—killing it would alert Ghost Beard Wood, and he might not come at night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3560,"2026-06-20T12:07:24.624Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","559a2c112c3b1d5f5c084ebe9eb6aad862af5a3120403b74f9e461562df9960a","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-351","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-349",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]